Island ConIFA bid team offered St Peter home

THE man behind Jersey’s application to play ‘international’ football as a member of ConIFA has secured a home ground for his team, with St Peter FC offering their facilities from 2019.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

St Peter FC's ground will be used for home matches if Jersey is accepted into ConIFA next year Picture: JON GUEGAN (22215157)

Former Muratti cap James Scott has applied to enter a side into the Confederation of Independent Football Associations ahead of their 2020 World Cup – a move which would give the Island’s top players regular fixtures against independent regions not recognised by the United Nations or Fifa.

The 2020 ConIFA World Cup is rumoured to be heading to the North American region of Cascadia, which covers the US states of Washington and Oregon and the Canadian province of British Colombia.

‘We’re ticking a few boxes, but there are obviously a few to tick,’ said Scott.

‘I went to St Peter’s committee meeting on Monday to chat with them about what we want to do – creating opportunities for the top players in Jersey – and I asked the question about playing small international fixtures at their ground.

‘They discussed it and then got in touch to say they’d be more than happy to support us.

‘Obviously it’s good for us to have a home ground. It’s something which adds to our application and it’s good to have the support of local club as well.’

If the Island is accepted, ‘Parishes of Jersey FC’ could face the likes of Tibet, United Koreans in Japan, Kiribati and Monaco in years to come, but fixtures at St Peter are likely to be against ConIFA members nearer to home, including a squad representing Yorkshire.

Scott added: ‘Fixture-wise we’ll probably look to play two or three friendlies next season [late 2019], but they will be friendlies with a bit of meat to them because they could be used for our ranking.

Advertising

‘If we can get ourselves up the list we’ll hopefully get into the top 16 to qualify for the World Cup.’

While Scott has discussed his plans with Jersey FA officials, the ConIFA application (due to be considered by association volunteers at their annual meeting in Ethiopia in January 2019) has been made without their involvement and with no ties to the Island’s Uefa bid.

ConIFA, formed in 2013, is described as a ‘global acting non-profit organization that supports representatives of international football teams from nations, de-facto nations, regions, minority peoples and sports isolated territories.’